Every Sunday morning as a child, I would open the comic section to a puzzle that asked you to find the differences in two seemingly identical pictures. Within a few seconds, you could see they were not identical. Perhaps the hat on the cowboy was bigger in the first frame than the second. There were usually seven differences. After the first few, the others usually proved quite elusive. They were sometimes so subtle it would take 15 minutes of intense comparison to find all of them.
Matching Prices
The same is true when comparing "name your price" services. Let's look at Priceline and Expedia's Price Matcher.
Both afford the chance to secure a fare well below the going rate -- maybe by as much as 40%. Each requires a credit card and makes a non-refundable purchase for you. So far, we have two identical frames.
Take a closer look.
Expedia's service allows you to bid on so-called "red-eye" flights after 10 p.m. Priceline limits its service to flights between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Already we have a seemingly subtle difference that could impact your bid. "Red-eye" flights, as the name suggests, are hardly pleasant. But they have been a budget travel staple for years. Price Matcher offers the option. Quite frankly, some travelers probably don't want it at any price.
Here's another difference: Expedia asks for the final amount of money with which you are willing to part for a ticket. Their quotes (with the exception of international flights) will include taxes and fees, while Priceline typically adds these to your successful bid. They tell you up front that is their policy. Still, if you're accustomed to working with one service and you switch over to the other, this difference could result in a surprise.
What's Next?
Expect to see more variations of the "name your price" theme in the near future. Each newcomer will have a slightly different set of rules, a "hook" designed to set it apart from Priceline, and an increase in services.
Which services? Airfares aside, it's also possible to book a cruise, hotel room and car rental in this manner. Why not railpasses and tour guide services, too? How about travel insurance?
It's a trend that every budget traveler should watch carefully. We'll try to provide links to the newest services, but it will be tough to keep track of them. Some will come and go before anyone takes note of their existence.
Something else to watch carefully: the rules.
